Stabilized unit in ship structures and the like



T. WALLER A ril 11, 1939.

STABILIZED UNIT IN SHIP STRUCTURES AND THE LIKE Filedpct. 22, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet l m M T I wild am T. WALLER April 11, 1939.

STABILIZED UNIT IN SHIP STRUCTURES AND THE LIKE Filed 001;. 22, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED STTE STABILIZED UNIT IN SHIP STRUCTURES AND THE LIKE 6 Claims.

The present invention relates to ships, airships, airplanes, or the like, and more particularly to self-stabilizing housing units, holds, cockpits, cabin or other unit structures in the hull, fuselage or the like of the ship, vehicle or carrier which receives various motions or movements during its course of travel, the term ship being used in a general sense to comprehend any type of vehicle of travel or transportation, and a marine ship is shown by way of illustration of the invention.

On ocean voyages most people become seasick. Many schemes have been attempted to prevent seasickness or to at least alleviate or assuage it. The cause of seasickness is not so much from the lateral and up and down movements received when a ship is pitching or rolling or both, as from the fact the person is constantly being moved from the normal or natural upright position, the movement of the liquid in the small or internal ears, which control mans equilibrium, so irritating the nervous system as to effect the condition known as seasickn'ess. This condition occurs not alone in marine ships, but frequently in airplanes, trains, buses, etc.

Among the objects of the invention is to provide a novel self-stabilizing structure, in the form of a hold, cockpit, cabin section. or unit, or the like, with parts, such as housings or the like, pivotally connected to each other on axes at right angles to each other so that the housing or part occupied by passengers etc. will remain upright regardless of the rolling, pitching, tipping, etc. of the hull, or frame structure of the ship, and also irrespective of the up and down, or lateral movements of the stabilizing structure as. a whole.

In the illustrative embodiment there are shown three housings or the like, of which the outer housing is rigid with the hull of the ship; the inner housing is within the outer housing and spaced therefrom to provide a space around the inner housing, and a housing disposed in that space between the outer and inner housings. This intermediate housing provides for a free and facile passageway from the outer housing to the inner housing while the housings are moving relatively to each other due to the movement of the hull or like of the ship, and also provides space for occupancy, storage, etc. The intermediate housing is pivotally connected to the outer housing on a diametric axis, and the inner housing is pivotally connected to the intermediate housing on a diametric axis at right angles to the previously mentioned axis. The housings have any suitable number of decks or floors, with. deck portions or landings at the levels of the pivotal connections, such as just above the bearings and journals of such connections, and openings are also provided at such pivotal connection, such as just above such pivotal connections to afiordfree passage from a housing to the next housing at the points where there is the smallest amount of relative movement between the adjacent parts of the housings. This free passing from housing to housing is possible at all times during the movements of the ship and the housings. It is not necessary, as has been heretofore, to set a brake and to stop the relative movement of the parts before permitting one to pass from one part to another.

In the present invention any one desiring to enter the inner housing from the ship space outside the outer housing, will proceed first by passing through the openings at the pivotal point of the outer and intermediate housings; then proceed along the passageway of the intermediate housing for a quarter way around to the pivotal point of the inner and intermediate housings, and then enter the inner housing at this point. The reverse passage is followed when desiring to pass from the inner housing to the exterior of the outer housing. All of this may be done while the ship is in motion, that is, rolling and pitching, and while there are relative movements among the housings.

The invention also comprehends the provision of novel openings or doorways through which one may pass safely at any time regardless of the relation of the housings mentioned. As for example, the outer housing has at the pivotal connection between it and the intermediate housing, a semi-circular opening or doorway immediately above the pivotal connection stated. In the outer wall of the intermediate housing just opposite to or in alinement with the semi-circular opening referred to, is a doorway of normal or usual form and size, the height of which is no greater than the radial height or extent of the semi-circular opening. Whatever may be the relative angular movement about the axis of the pivotal connection between this doorway and the semi-circular opening, the doorway will always be opposite to and within the extent of the semi-circular opening, so that there is no danger of anyone being injured or killed between the jambs of the door and the sides of the semi-circular opening. The inner wall of the intermediate housing also has at the pivotal connection between the inner housing and the intermediate housing a similar semicircular opening or doorway, and the adjacent wall of the inner housing also has a doorway of regular or normal form opposite to or in alinement with such semi-circular opening. These are preferably provided at each pivotal connection.

As another object of the invention is to provide novel means for extending conduits into and out of the housings, such as electrical conduits including electrical conductors for power, light, heat, and communications (telephone and radio), fluid conduits as for fresh air, heated or conditional air, steam, hot and cold water, and the like, and drain conduits as for waste and sewage, and the like. The pivotal connections are made hollow so that the conduits will extend axially through them and run along the intermediate housing a quarter way around. With the exception of the drain conduit, the conduits have flexible segments in the hollow axles or journals of the pivotal connections for accommodation to the relative angular movements of the rigid segments of the conduits extending along the adjacent housings on each side of the hollow pivotal connection through which the conduits pass. The drain conduit, in lieu of having flexible segments, has swivel joints or unions.

Another feature of the invention is to provide deck or floor portions or landings in the housings substantially at the levels of the pivotal connections so that the floor portions or landings at such connections and at the bottoms of the door- Ways and semi-circular openings mentioned above will have the smallest amount of relative movement for facile and safe passing from one to another of such deck or floor portions or landings. The deck or floor portions mentioned are preferably disposed just above the pivotal connections, and the conduits are preferably located just below these deck or floor portions. Stairways are provided in the intermediate housing to lead down into the lower part of this housing and to the decks therein. Access to the conduits for making repairs or doing what work thereon as may be necessary is readily had from the space on the next lower deck from that just above the pivotal connections, as referred to above.

When the ship is at a standstill, as when it is in port and when there is no relative movement among the housings, it is inconvenient to pass in a round-about way to take articles, lead animals, as horses, etc. into or out of the inner housing. Therefore, as another object of the invention there are provided doors which are all in alinement for affording short direct passage between the interior of the inner housing and the exterior of the assembly, particularly the lower portion of the inner housing where horses may be stalled. This is effected by providing doors in the walls of the housings, such as the wall of the outer housing, the outer and inner walls of the intermediate housing, and the wall of the inner housing, these doors all being opposite each other or all in alinement so that direct passage between the interior and exterior of the unit at any desired point may be had.

The invention also comprehends the provision in the lower portion of the intermediate housing of a section which may be for a different class of passengers, storage, or similar occupancy or use. In such case the lower portion of the intermediate housing preferably will be of rounded form with its diametric axis coincident with that of the lower rounded portion of the outer housing. The inner wall of the lower portion of the intermediate housing would be of rounded form and disposed parallel and adjacent to the lower rounded portion of the inner housing. Access to the space in the lower portion of the intermediate housing will be had by suitable stairways leading down from the passageway in the upper part of the intermediate housing.

Other objects, advantages, capabilities, features, and the like are comprehended by the invention as will later appear and as are inherently possessed by the invention Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a vertical central sectional view through a unit and part of a ship constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken in a plane substantially on the line 2-2 in Fig. l of the drawings; and,

Figs. 3 and 4 are horizontal and vertical fragmentary sectional views taken in planes represented by lines 3-3 and -d of Fig. 1 of the drawings showing the nature of the means for passing from a housing to the next housing.

Referring more in detail to the drawings the embodiment selected to illustrate the invention is shown in a ship having horizontally spaced structural beams l and 2 forming fixed parts of the hull of the ship. Between these beams is located an outer housing 3 which may be of spherical or globular form or shape as shown, but may be of cylindrical form if desired. To the beams are fixed structural parts 4 and 5 integral or rigid with diametrically opposite side portions 6 and 1 of the housing 3, the parts 4 and 5 being secured to or made fast with the beams, as by bolts 8 and 9 or the like.

At the wall portions 6 and l of the housing 3 are provided bearings l0 and H supported upon the beams l and 2 and made fast thereto, as by bolts or the like. to provide wall portions or partitions I2 and I3 rising to the upper deck portions 14 and !5. Lower deck or floor portions I6 and IT, I8 and i9, 20 and M, and 22, are suitably located in the ship, this being merely illustrative of any number of decks that may be provided. The lower portion 23 of the outer housing 3 may be of hemispherical form with its diameter coincident with the axes of the bearings 10 and II, but such lower portion may be of cylindrical form with its axis coincident with the axes of the bearings l0 and II,

Within the outer housing 3 is an intermediate housing 24 the upper portion of which may be of annular or zonal form, and has horizontally or radially spaced inner and outer zonal wall portions 25 and 25, thus forming a horizontal annular passageway 2'! between the zonal walls 25 and 25. At the top of the walls 25 and 26 may be provided an annular deck 28 having inner and outer guard rails 29 and 30. Instead of ending in deck 28, the walls 25 and 26 may continue upward in hemispherical or semi-cylindric form as desired with suitable decks therein. The deck 28 may be reached by a suitable stairway in the passageway 21. The upper deck |4--l5 of the ship outside the outer housing has an annular guard rail 3! normally parallel to the guard rail 39. It will be noted that the upper wall portions l2 and I3 of the outer housing also may be of zonal form and normally parallel to the zonal outer wall 25 of the intermediate housing.

When the inner and outer housings are of spherical or globular form, the lower portion or part of the intermediate housing has its outer These walls extend upwardly I between the jambs of doors.

and inner walls 32 and 33 of hemispherical or semi-globular form on the same center as the outer housing and with a diametric axis coincident with the axis of the bearings I and II. If. the outer housing is of cylindric form, the wall 32 will be of the same form with its axis coincident with the axis of. the bearings I and II. If the inner housing is of cylindrical form the wall 33 will be of the form with its axis at right angles to the axis of the bearings I0 and I I.

Coaxial with the axis of the bearings I0 and II, the intermediate housing is provided with rigid radially extending hollow axles or journals 36 and 3'! rotatably mounted in the bearings ID and I I respectively, thrust bearing sleeves 38 and 39 being fixed to the inner portions of the axles or journals 36 and 3? and being in bearing abutment with the inner ends of the bearings It and II.

Within the passageway 21 is provided a floor or deck 65 which may be just above the bearing sleeves 38 and 39 and normally on the same level as the deck or floor portions I5 and ll of the ship outside the outer housing, the floor or deck portions 65 and I! being just above the bearings IEI and II. See Fig. 1. These decks may be at different levels if desired or necessary but will have deck portions or landings as near level with the pivotal connection as practicable.

As near as possible as may be practicable, such as just above these bearing members, the outer wall portions I2 and I3 are provided with semicircular openings or doorways 4| and 42 and alined or in registry therewith the outer wall 26 of the intermediate housing is provided with regularly shaped (as rectangular) doorways or openings 43 and 44, these openings being of no greater height than the radial altitude of the semi-circular openings 4| and 42, so that regardless of the relative angular relation of the intermediate and outer housings, the doorways 43 and A l will always be opposite some part of the openings ll and 42 and there will never be any danger of any one being injured or killed Free passage through these doors is afforded at all times.

To the insides of, the outer wall portion 26 and the inner wall 25 of the passageway 21 are preferably attached hand guide bars or rails 45 and 45 which run around the housing along the passageway. Suitable stairways lead down from the passageway 21 into the lower interior of the intermediate housing where lower decks GI and 48 are located. This part of the housing may be used for a different class of passengers, storage, etc. as may be desired and convenient. By the construction described when the ship pitches the intermediate housing will remain level so that the motion of pitching will not be felt by the occupants of this housing.

Within the intermediate housing is an inner housing 49 which may be of globular or spherical form. It may have at its top a circular upper deck 53 surrounded by a guard rail or the like 5i. In the case of making this housing of cylindrical form, the upper deck will be of rectangular shape. first class passenger cabins or the like, as a hospital section, a dining or restaurant section. a gymnasium and swimming pool section, etc. It is mounted to turn about a diametric axis at right angles to the axis of the bearings I0 and I I. Instead of having an upper deck, such housing may have its upper wall portion extend upwardly in the-form of a hemisphere or semi- This housing may be used for cylinder as the case may be, no upper deck being necessary when the unit is below the upper unit in the ship. The upper space would serve to pro-- vide for more compartments or rooms, a suitable number of decks being used. The wall 52 of the housing 49 has. radially extending axially alined rigid hollow axles or journals 53 and 54 which are rotatably supported in bearings 55 and 56 fixed to the intermediate housing at 90 from the bearings I0 and II, and as just below the annular deck or floor fill thereof. In this way the inner housing 49 has relative angular movement to the intermediate housing 26 about the axis of the bearings 55 and 56 and the hollow journals 53 and 54, in accommodation to the rolling motions of the ship.

Immediately above these bearings and journals the inner wall 25 of the intermediate housing is provided with semi-circular openings or doorways. In alinement with these openings the wall 52 of the inner housing is provided with regularly shaped (as rectangular) doorways or openings 59 of no greater height than the radial altitude of the semi-circular openings 5?, whereby the doorways are always in registry with or opposite to some portion of the semi-circular openings. In this way free passage at all times is aiforded through these registering openings without any danger of anyone being injured or killed between jambs of doors.

In the upper end of. the doorways 59 are located overhead hand bars or rails 58 to assist one in passing through the doorways. Likewise, to the inner sides of the jambs of the regular doors are also secured hand bars 50 or the like for similar purposes.

When the ship is in motion, passage may be freely made into or out of the unit by passing through the openings 42 and Ml, as for example, into the passageway 21, then along this passageway for a quarter way around, and then through the openings 51 and 59, by way of example. To go from the inner housing to the outside of the outer housing the reverse course is followed. For passing to the lower portion or to the upper portion of the intermediate housing, one may enter the passageway 21 by way of the openings 42 and 44, by way of example, and then descend the stairways leading down into the space in the lower portion of the intermediate housing or ascend the stairways leading up into the upper por-' tion thereof.

When the ship is in port and at a standstill and when it is desired to move articles into or out of the unit, it would be inconvenient to follow the round-about way described above. Hence, provision is made by the present invention for affording a direct passage to and from the interior of the unit, especially for heavy articles, horses or other animals, etc., and particularly for the lower portions of the unit. As for example, in the case where it should be desired to stall race horses in the lower part of a unit, as in the lower part of the inner housing of the unit and on a deck as deck 61 shown in Fig. 1, the lower wall portions of the outer housing wall 23, the outer and inner walls 32 and 33 of the intermediate housing, and the wall 52 of the inner housing, will all be provided with doors in line with each other or in registry, the inner door being designated at fil in Fig. 1. Normally, when the ship is travelling all these doors will be closed, by closure members 62 held bolted in place by suitable hand bolting elements. These series of doors may be located at any desired point so as to give access to the interior of the unit at any desired deck level. The above location is merely given by way of illustration.

For direct access to the unit at a level with the pivotal connections, such an arrangement may be provided in association with the opening 51 and the doorway 59, as shown in Fig. 4. In this case, the wall l2 or l3 of the outer housing and the outer wall 26 of the intermediate housing are provided with doors 6! and 62 directly opposite or in alinement with the doorways or openings 51 and 59 so that when they are opened direct passage may be had to and from the inner housing therethrough. The doors Bl and 62 are usually closed by bolted closures 63 and 64 so that during the travel of the ship it will be impossible to pass through these and be injured or killed.

The inner housing may have as many decks or floors 65, 66 and 61 as desired or convenient to have. Any suitable type of compartments, rooms, etc. may be provided on the different decks in the inner housing, and suitable stairways also are provided for access to the different parts of the housing. A stairway 68 is located to lead to the top deck 50 by way of a cupola 69 or the like having doors 10 for affording passage to and from the deck 50.

The invention also comprehends the provision of suitable conduits, such as ducts, pipes, wires, conductors, or the like running into and out of the unit, so as to supply air (heated, cooled, conditioned or otherwise treated), water (hot, cold, etc), electrical energy (for lights, heat, power), gas, etc., and also conduits or the like for draining out waste water, sewage, etc. Exhausting or ventilating of the air from the inner housing may be efiected by way of a suitable duct or conduit leading to the upper deck, as by way of a ventilating cowl H.

For the purpose of illustration and for convenience only a few of these conduits are shown. As shown, supply conduits 12 and. 13 are suitably carried in the hull of the ship and are connected to flexible ducts, as hoses l4 and 15, or the like, which pass axially into the hollow journal or axle 31 where they are connected or joined to conduits l6 and 11 passing through a side opening '18 in the journal 37 and the attached sleeve 39. The pipes 16 and 11 extend from this point along the annular space beneath the floor 40 of the passageway 21 in the intermediate housing 24, to the open end of the hollow journal or axle 53 where they are connected or joined to flexible ducts, as hoses l9 and 80. These hoses extend axially through the hollow journal or axle 53 into the inner housing and are connected to conduits 8| and 82 leading to the various parts of the housing 49.

In a similar fashion the drain conduit 83 is connected to a pipe 84 disposed axially in the hollow journal or axle 54 by way of a swivel union or coupling 85. At the outer end of the journal 54 the pipe 84 is connected to a conduit or pipe 86 extending around in the intermediate housing beneath the deck or floor 4a to the hollow journal or axle 36, where the pipe 36 extends through a side opening 81 provided in the sleeve 38 and journal 36. At this point the pipe 86 is connected to a pipe 88 disposed axially in the hollow journal 36, the pipe 88 being connected at the outer end of the journal to a pipe 89 by way of a swivel coupling or union 9B. In this way the flexible pipe sections or hoses 74, 15, I9 and 80, and the swivel joints and 90 allow for the free relative movements of the pipes carried by the housings of the unit.

While I have herein described and upon the drawings shown an illustrative embodiment of the invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited thereto but comprehends other constructons, details, arrangements of parts, features, and the like without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus disclosed the invention, I claim:

1. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising spaced inner and outer housings of which the outer housing is a fixed part of the hull of the ship, an intermediate housing disposed between said inner and outer housings and having means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said outer housing on a diamertic axis and means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said inner housing on a diarnctric axis at right angles to the aforesaid diametric axis, said housings having openings at the loci of the pivotal connections between the housings to afford free passage from a housing to the next housing while the housings have relative movements, said pivotal connections being hollow, and conduits extending through said hollow connections from a housing to the next housing.

2. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising spaced inner and outer housings of which the outer housing is a fixed part of the hull of the ship, an intermediate housing disposed between said inner and outer housings and having means for pivctally connecting said intermediate housing with said outer housing on a diametric axis and means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said inner housing on a diametric axis at right angles to the aforesaid diametric axis, said housings having openings at the loci of the pivotal connections between the housings to afiord free passage from a housing to the next housing while the housings have relative movements, said pivotal connections being hollow, and conduits extending through said hollow connections from a housing to the next housing, said housings having deck landings substantially at the levels of the pivotal connections between said housings and at the bottoms of said openings, said conduits extending along said intermediate housing beneath a deck thereof.

3. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising spaced inner and outer housings of which the outer housing is a fixed part of the hull of the ship, an intermediate housing disposed between said inner and outer housings and having means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said outer housing on a diametric axis and means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said inner housing on a diametric axis at right angles to the aforesaid diametric axis, said housings having openings at the loci of the pivotal connections between the housings to afford free passage from a housing to the next housing while the housings have relative movements, said housings having the lower portions thereof of rounded form, said housings having deck landings substantially at the levels of the pivotal connections between said housings and at the bottoms of said openings, an opening in a housing being of semi-circular form, and the corresponding opening in the next housing having a door of normal form and being of no greater height than the radial height of said semicircular opening.

4. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising spaced inner and outer housings of which the outer housing is a fixed part of the hull of the ship, an intermediate housing disposed between said inner and outer housings and having means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said outer housing on a diametric axis and means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said inner housing on a diametric axis at right angles to the aforesaid diametric axis; said housings having openings at the loci of the pivotal connections between the housings to afford free passage from a housing to the next housing while the housings have relative movement, the housings having the lower portions thereof of rounded form, said housings having deck landings substantially at the levels of the pivotal connections between said housings and at the bottoms of said openings, an opening in a housing being of semi-circular form, and the corresponding opening in the next housing having a door of normal form and being of no greater height than the radial height of the semi-circular opening, said housings having doors alined with each other to afford direct passage from the exterior of the unit to the interior of the inner housing at any given point when the ship is at a stand still.

5. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising a housing fixed with a hull of the ship and having bearings at the opposite sides thereof, an annular passageway within said housing and having journals rotatable in said bearings whereby angular movement about the axis of said journals may be had between said housing and said passageway, said housing and said passageway having alined openings immediately above said journals and bearings to afiord free passage between said passageway and the exterior of said housing, said passageway having bearings at opposite sides thereof and on an axis at right angles to the axis of the bearings of said housing,

a round section within said annular passageway and having journals rotatable in said bearings of said passageway, said passageway and said round section having alined openings immediately above said journals and bearings of said section and said passageway to afford free passage between said passageway and the interior of said section, said housing having deck landings immediately above the bearings thereof, said passageway'having deck landings immediately above the journals and bearings thereof, and said section having deck landings immediately above the journals thereof, and wherein the journals are hollow, and conduits extending through said journals and along said passageway beneath a deck thereof.

6. In a ship structure, a self-stabilizing unit comprising spaced inner and outer housings of which the outer housing is a fixed part of the hull of the ship, an intermediate housing disposed between said inner and outer housings and having means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said outer housing on a diametric axis and means for pivotally connecting said intermediate housing with said inner housing on a diametrio axis at right angles to the aforesaid diametric axis, said housings having openings at the loci of the pivotal connections between the housings to afford free passage from a housing to the next housing while the housings have relative movements, said openings being of difierent sizes such that the smaller opening which is in a housing is of normal size and the corresponding opening in the next housing is of larger size and of a width to be opposite and in full open condition respective to the smaller opening in all relative positions thereof whereby free passage may be had at all times regardless of the relative position of said housings.

THURE WALLER. 

